THE EFFECT OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ON READING COMPREHENSION IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER STUDENTS :

In this study, the effect of technology use on reading comprehension skills of students with moderate ASD was examined. Male students who are attending the first grade and have an intermediate level ASD were determined as participants. All three students are reading by swinging. In the research, one of the single-subject research methods, the multiple-probe design across participants was used. The stories used in the training are written in such a way that they consist of 40-45 words. The story difficulty level is 1. It is determined in accordance with the grade level. The level of initiation in the analysis of the data, the ability to understand reading data in the intervention, generalization and maintenance sessions were collected using the data registration form. The reading comprehension a skill was first examined while preparing the form, based on the correct responses supplied to the reading comprehension questions. The research was conducted out by a special education teacher who graduated from the Department of Special Education. In the application of the multiple-probe design across participants as a research model, firstly, the data were gathered in order to decipher the participants' performance in terms of reading comprehension skills by using the data registration form which was prepared for each student. The data were collected in individual sessions and recorded in the relevant sections.  While the baseline level data was taken by the practitioner, the related stories were presented in the form of a pen and paper study and the data were collected. In the intervention, generalization and continuity data, the ipad-mediated application was used. The participant opens the story and reads it himself. The teacher shows the questions about the story on the ipad. The reading comprehension data of the participant were performed through multiple choice questions. Consequently, it was found that all participants exhibited appropriate behaviors in keeping on task and completing tasks during the reading comprehension studies process. It has been determined that students with ASD have higher performance when using iPad only compared to traditional books when more than one experiment is performed. The content is one of the most significant aspects in reading comprehension. In this study, the stories were developed by selecting from among the content preferences of children with ASD. Although popular contents were used for children during the baseline phase like other phases, it was determined that pencil and paper works were not preferred. Furthermore, it was discovered that when students began at the most basic level of reading comprehension, their motivation increased when they could answer the questions, and this situation increased the on-task processes and positively affected the comprehension success. &nbsp

Neurodevelopmental profiles of Xhosa speaking children in conflict with the law

Objective To ascertain the neurodevelopmental characteristics of Xhosa speaking children from Buffalo City, South Africa, who are on trial. Hypothesis Delinquent children have a greater prevalence of neurodevelopmental challenges than non offenders. Design A prospective cross sectional study which uses a series of structured questionnaires in concert with clinical and neurocognitive assessments. Twenty, on trial, males and females, aged between 13 and 17 years old, their parents or guardians and educators were interviewed. The results were compared to general population norms defined by North American populations using Conners’ 2TM Rating Scales, STRANDS self reports and PEERAMID neurodevelopmental examination. The Xhosa Senior South African Individual Scale Revised was used for psychometric testing. Outcome measures Presence of one or more neurodevelopmental disorders including symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disorder and / or neurodevelopmental deficit. Results Ten percent of participants had a diagnosis of ADHD, both were males. Symptoms of ADHD were identified in 64% of males and 33% of females. Neurodevelopmental challenges were present in 94% (17/18). An incidental finding was high levels of anxiety. Conclusions The prevalence of an ADHD diagnosis was not higher than the general population, however, the presence of symptoms was high and supported findings in the literature. Neurodevelopmental challenges were present in the majority. Further research is indicated to ascertain the role of anxiety in this population. The development and validation of culturally appropriate assessment tools is a further identified need

La imagen y la narrativa como herramientas para el abordaje psicosocial en escenarios de violencia. Departamentos de Santander y Norte de Santander

La evaluación al proceso investigativo sigue objetivamente al cuestionamiento de forma crítica todos los abordajes terapéuticos y psicosociales de las violencias sistemáticas, aplicando la herramienta de la narrativa, como esa acción útil en el abordaje psicosocial analizando los contextos de violencia evaluando los eventos psicosociales traumáticos, resultantes del ejercicio analítico de la narrativa presente en el discurso, describiendo las acciones de afrontamiento orientadas a romper ciclos de violencia e injusticia en la mirada del enfoque narrativo, dando vida al análisis del relato. Tomando como insumo las preguntas reflexivas, circulares y estratégicas, al dimensionar el abandono del estado en los territorios, con treguas hasta de diez años de proceso en la reparación de las víctimas, dentro de los marcos diversos contextuales de una realidad socio-política. La página Wix da a conocer las sintonías de las violencias con la herramienta de la foto voz y el enfoque narrativo enfocado en las conductas del sexismo y el patriarcado. Las estrategias presentan la solución a conflictos, toma de decisiones, en el abordaje de subjetividades inmersas en contextos de violencia. Las conclusiones revelan los aprendizajes del análisis minucioso de la relatoría del caso de peñas coloradas ante la falta de programas planes y proyectos, que mejoren la calidad de vida, proponiendo estrategias con recursos de afrontamiento psicosocial al sufrimiento por violencia, considerando en los emergentes psicosociales implementar más políticas públicas, que se adapten a los resultados del impacto esperado, hasta romper los diversos ciclos de violencia e injusticia social. Palabras Clave: Emergente, Estrategia, Psicosociales, victima, violenciaThe evaluation of the investigative process objectively follows the critical questioning of all therapeutic and psychosocial approaches to systematic violence, applying the narrative tool, as that useful action in the psychosocial approach, analyzing the contexts of violence, evaluating the resulting traumatic psychosocial events. of the analytical exercise of the narrative present in the discourse, describing the coping actions aimed at breaking cycles of violence and injustice in the perspective of the narrative approach, giving life to the analysis of the story. Taking as input the reflective, circular, and strategic questions, when dimensioning the abandonment of the state in the territories, with respite up to ten years of process in the reparation of the victims, within the diverse contextual frameworks of a socio-political reality. The wix page reveals the melodies of violence with the photo voice tool and the narrative approach focused on the behaviors of sexism and patriarchy The strategies present the solution to conflicts, decision making, in the approach of subjectivities immersed in contexts of violence. The conclusions reveal the learnings of the detailed analysis of the rapporteurship of the case of Peñas Coloradas due to the lack of programs, plans and projects that improve the quality of life, proposing strategies with psychosocial coping resources to suffering from violence, considering in the emerging psychosocial implement more public policies that adapt to the results of the expected impact, until breaking the various cycles of violence and social injustice. Keywords: Emergent, Strategy, Psychosocial, Victim, violenc

Adherence to nutritional intervention protocol for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

Objetivo: avaliar a adesão às orientações nutricionais de um protocolo de intervenção nutricional individualizado a crianças e adolescentes com transtorno do espectro autista. Métodos: estudo longitudinal realizado em um ambulatório de nutrição infantil com pacientes do espectro autista, de 3 a 18 anos incompletos, de ambos os sexos. Foi realizado um questionário para obter dados sociodemográficos da família e do paciente, aferidos o peso e altura e realizadas orientações nutricionais baseadas em recordatório de 24h. Em consulta subsequente foi aplicado um checklist para avaliar a adesão as orientações referentes a redução do consumo de alimentos marcadores de má qualidade nutricional (bebidas açucaradas; frituras, salgadinhos de pacote, macarrão instantâneo, açúcares e guloseimas, carnes processadas e biscoitos doce). A comparação entre as frequências das orientações realizadas e as alcançadas foi analisada por meio do teste de Fisher. Adotou-se um erro alfa aceitável de 5%. Resultados: as orientações mais frequentes foram para redução de bebidas adoçadas, frituras e carnes processadas, representando 63%, 28% e 22% respectivamente. A frequência de adesão às orientações variou de 50% a 80%, correspondendo a 63%, 80% e 88% para bebidas adoçadas frituras e carnes processadas. Conclusão: a taxa de adesão às orientações propostas no protocolo foi satisfatória, mostrando que uma orientação nutricional direcionada ao ajuste do consumo de alimentos de baixa qualidade nutricional poderá ser efetiva e contribuir na prevenção de agravos à saúde em indivíduos do espectro autista.Objective: To evaluate the adherence to nutritional counseling of an individualized nutritional intervention protocol for children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder. Methods: Longitudinal study performed in a clinic for infant nutrition with patients of the autistic spectrum, from 3 to 18 incomplete years old, of both sexes. A questionnaire was carried out to obtain socio demographic data of the family and the patient, weight and height were measured, and nutritional counseling based on 24-hour recall was performed. In a subsequent consultation, a checklist was applied to evaluate the adherence to the orientations regarding the reduction of consumption of marker foods of poor nutritional quality (sweetened drinks; fried foods, packaged snacks, instant noodles, sugars and candies, processed meats and sweet biscuits). The comparison between the frequencies of the orientations performed and those achieved was analyzed through Fisher’s test. An acceptable alpha error of 5% was adopted. Results: The most frequent orientations were for the reduction of sweetened beverages, frying and processed meats, representing 63%, 28% and 22% respectively. The frequency of adherence to the orientations varied from 50% to 80%, corresponding to 63%, 80% and 88% for fried sweetened drinks and processed meats, respectively. Conclusion: The rate of adherence to the guidelines proposed in the protocol was satisfactory, showing that a nutritional counseling aimed at adjusting the consumption of food of low nutritional quality may be effective and contribute to the prevention of health problems in individuals of the autistic spectrum

Association Mapping for Improving Fiber Quality in Upland Cottons

Improved fiber yield is considered a constant goal of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) breeding worldwide, but the understanding of the genetic basis controlling yield-related traits remains limited. Dissecting the genetic architecture of complex traits is an ongoing challenge for geneticists. Two complementary approaches for genetic mapping, linkage mapping and association mapping have led to successful dissection of complex traits in many crop species. Both of these methods detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) by identifying marker–trait associations, and the only fundamental difference between them is that between mapping populations, which directly determine mapping resolution and power. Nowadays, the availability of genomic tools and resources is leading to a new revolution of plant breeding, as they facilitate the study of the genotype and its relationship with the phenotype, in particular for complex traits. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies are allowing the mass sequencing of genomes and transcriptomes, which is producing a vast array of genomic information with the development of high-throughput genotyping, phenotyping will be a major challenge for genetic mapping studies. We believe that high-quality phenotyping and appropriate experimental design coupled with new statistical models will accelerate progress in dissecting the genetic architecture of complex traits

Detecting imipenem resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii by automated systems (BD Phoenix, Microscan WalkAway, Vitek 2); high error rates with Microscan WalkAway

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Increasing reports of carbapenem resistant <it>Acinetobacter baumannii </it>infections are of serious concern. Reliable susceptibility testing results remains a critical issue for the clinical outcome. Automated systems are increasingly used for species identification and susceptibility testing. This study was organized to evaluate the accuracies of three widely used automated susceptibility testing methods for testing the imipenem susceptibilities of <it>A. baumannii </it>isolates, by comparing to the validated test methods.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Selected 112 clinical isolates of <it>A. baumanii </it>collected between January 2003 and May 2006 were tested to confirm imipenem susceptibility results. Strains were tested against imipenem by the reference broth microdilution (BMD), disk diffusion (DD), Etest, BD Phoenix, MicroScan WalkAway and Vitek 2 automated systems. Data were analysed by comparing the results from each test method to those produced by the reference BMD test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>MicroScan performed true identification of all <it>A. baumannii </it>strains while Vitek 2 unidentified one strain, Phoenix unidentified two strains and misidentified two strains. Eighty seven of the strains (78%) were resistant to imipenem by BMD. Etest, Vitek 2 and BD Phoenix produced acceptable error rates when tested against imipenem. Etest showed the best performance with only two minor errors (1.8%). Vitek 2 produced eight minor errors(7.2%). BD Phoenix produced three major errors (2.8%). DD produced two very major errors (1.8%) (slightly higher (0.3%) than the acceptable limit) and three major errors (2.7%). MicroScan showed the worst performance in susceptibility testing with unacceptable error rates; 28 very major (25%) and 50 minor errors (44.6%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Reporting errors for <it>A. baumannii </it>against imipenem do exist in susceptibility testing systems. We suggest clinical laboratories using MicroScan system for routine use should consider using a second, independent antimicrobial susceptibility testing method to validate imipenem susceptibility. Etest, whereever available, may be used as an easy method to confirm imipenem susceptibility.</p

Multicenter evaluation of the vitek MS matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry system for identification of gram-positive aerobic bacteria

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) is gaining momentum as a tool for bacterial identification in the clinical microbiology laboratory. Compared with conventional methods, this technology can more readily and conveniently identify a wide range of organisms. Here, we report the findings from a multicenter study to evaluate the Vitek MS v2.0 system (bioMérieux, Inc.) for the identification of aerobic Gram-positive bacteria. A total of 1,146 unique isolates, representing 13 genera and 42 species, were analyzed, and results were compared to those obtained by nucleic acid sequence-based identification as the reference method. For 1,063 of 1,146 isolates (92.8%), the Vitek MS provided a single identification that was accurate to the species level. For an additional 31 isolates (2.7%), multiple possible identifications were provided, all correct at the genus level. Mixed-genus or single-choice incorrect identifications were provided for 18 isolates (1.6%). Although no identification was obtained for 33 isolates (2.9%), there was no specific bacterial species for which the Vitek MS consistently failed to provide identification. In a subset of 463 isolates representing commonly encountered important pathogens, 95% were accurately identified to the species level and there were no misidentifications. Also, in all but one instance, the Vitek MS correctly differentiated Streptococcus pneumoniae from other viridans group streptococci. The findings demonstrate that the Vitek MS system is highly accurate for the identification of Gram-positive aerobic bacteria in the clinical laboratory setting